Abstract
Many studies of housing concentrate on the dwelling as a place of shelter for the household, as a unit of accommodation and as a key setting for social reproduction. However, in many parts of the world the dwelling is also a place of production: some or all of the household members may be involved in income-generating activities, ranging from small-scale, part-time tasks with few specific spatial demands, to manufacturing activities which may dominate the dwelling environment. This paper draws on a pilot research study into the housing implications of home-based enterprises undertaken in a squatter settlement in New Delhi, India. In addition to a questionnaire survey, detailed case histories of selected households’ work and housing situations were recorded, and plans of dwellings drawn. Drawing on this data, the paper examines the spatial and social implications of income-generating activities and discusses how an analysis of the integration of non-domestic activities can inform and broaden our understanding of the meaning of home.